A BISON'S ENDURANCE. 265 



lying down, and I gave him a shot with the 4-bore — which Gorrava always 

 called the "Mahd Tdyce" (the Great IMother) — through his ribs. This maternal 

 whisper brought him to his feet very quickly, and he came blundering out 

 just as the luncheon-basket party put in an appearance ! He " went for " 

 them instantly. Some got up the nearest trees, but the Sholaga intrusted 

 with the basket carefully deposited it before he made off! I gave the bull 

 another shot and pursued him, when I suddenly met him almost face to 

 face, coming back after he had lost the basket-carrier. I knew he had not 

 seen me, and I stood quietly aside against a bamboo-clump, and as he passed 

 I saluted him in the ribs. He now subsided into a walk, and I followed. 

 He presently faced round and I gave him the 4-bore at thirty yards into the 

 point of his shoulder. This even did not drop him, and he went on again, 

 dead lame. "When he faced round I walked up to within twenty yards, 

 under shelter of a friendly tree, and as he stood shaking his head thi'eaten- 

 ingly I brained him. 



He was a gallant beast. He had given us a splendid run, the various 

 incidents and excitement of which it is impossible to convey any just idea 

 of. At the end he afforded a good example of what a bison can stand in 

 the way of powder and lead : he had had five body-shots — two with the 

 4-bore and three with the 8 — and then had to be brained. The body- shots 

 were none of them very well placed. This difficulty in always getting at 

 the right spots is the cliief reason why heavy metal shoidd be used on heavy 

 game, otherwise the poor beasts may be caused much unnecessary suffering. 

 This bull was a very old fellow, and much scored and battered by fighting. 



